Throughout Leonid Fridman’s essay “American Needs its Nerds” , the author displays how knowledge is extremely important and anti-values needs to be stop. First the author introduces his argument by starting a definition of the term “Geek”,then he exemplifies that people discriminate toward geeks and nerds for their intellectuals and passion for academics. He continues his argument by stating “ Even at a prestigious academic institution like Harvard, anti-intellectualism is rampant: Many students are ashamed to admit, even though their friends, how they study”(Fridman 10-14). Fridman perfectly shows a great source of irony by visualizing how people treat nerds differently from other and how they are a social outcast, even though students at
Students. In “Consumerism Invades Education“ Simon Benlow is dumbfounded on why people are comparing the words “students” with “customers.” He portrays a customer with fast food, it is getting easier and easier. You use to have to look everything up while ordering, now you have the “meal deal.” Benlow states “We don't have to reflect, invent, or research,” talking about education, fast food, and many other things (140).
The author claims that there is something wrong with the system of values in a society that’s uses derogatory terms to describe intellectuals. The author uses ethos, logos, and pathos to support his claim that society’s view of nerds and geeks are all wrong. He uses various different examples and ways of each to get his point across. Leonid Firdman first uses ethos to get his point across. He uses an appeal to ethics or facts when saying “Webster’s new world dictionary defines a geek as a street performer who shocks the public by bitting the heads off chickens.”
The common assumption that America is the leading nation in the world takes a hard hit in Amanda Ripley’s The Smartest Kids in the World, a book that explores the top education systems throughout the world, which are not that of the United States. After reading the book, it comes off with strong viewpoints, and makes you think critically about our education system. It highlights the PISA tests, both praised and criticized for their ability to calculate the knowledge and creativity and individual possesses. The book also features a unique narrative style involving three students from America embarking on journeys as “correspondents” to three of the tops ranking PISA countries.
"Anti-intellectualism is rampant. " This quote from the passage, " America Needs Its Nerds" by Leonid Fridman is portraying the author's main point that intellectual students are frowned upon by our society. He uses examples, strong vocabulary, and facts to develop his argument.
The rate of bullying that can be detected in schools these days is astonishing. Now a days, with the use of new technology but also with traditional ways, kids continue to bully other children simply because they are different. Leonid Fridman demonstrates how these wrongful actions have taken a toll on children and young adults across the nation. In the passage from ¨America Needs Nerds¨ by Leonid Fridman, Fridman develops his argument that intellectuals should stop being ashamed for their intellectual achievements and instead should be praised for them through the usage of an accusatory tone, rhetorical questions, and continuous comparisons. To start off, Fridman develops his argument that intellectuals should stop being ashamed for their
Gerald Graff’s argument on how educational systems are missing a great opportunity to tap into “street smarts” and focus them into a path of academic work is indeed convincing (Graff, 198). After all, anyone who’s been through the American educational system knows odds are often stacked against the “street smarts.” This is especially true in english classes, where one is often required to read boring and somewhat heartless books like, 1984, Beowulf, and the majority of Shakespeare’s classics. This is not to say these books are bad or shouldn’t be read during one’s schooling years, instead, the problem is one of apathy. For instance, in my high school years I never even remotely liked to read books Othello, but I loved to read magazines and
In Gerald Graff 's essay “Hidden Intellectualism” starts of by talking about the stereotype of being so called “street smart” and and being “book smart” and how in school when you see someone who is street smart but doesn’t do go in school get a bad wrap. People look at them as a waste because they can’t apply there intelligences that they have and use it towards school, so people view them as not the right kind of smart because they are not a A student in school. Graff then goes on to say that maybe it is not the students that are the problem with how they do in school but maybe it is the school that have missed or overlooked the intellectual potential that kids with street smarts have. Graff also says that we only view the educated minds through schooling as the right way and schools and colleges look at kids who do not like school and don’t do well as anti-intellectual people.
When these speakers are shoved aside they make a ruckus, and are remembered. On a college campus such as Middlebury, a capacity for questioning stated facts and thinking critically over ideas is highly valued: students should be capable of discerning the quality of a new idea (or a pastrami sandwich, for that matter). Indeed, the idea that exposing students to controversial ideas inevitably brings about their adoption is as offensive to said student body as it is to the
Analysis pt. 2 After reading, “The Secret to Raising Smart Kids” and “It’s Not Me, It’s You” I have come to the conclusion that both journalists understand intelligence differently. Dweck thought that one had a choice whether one would like to be intelligent or not; she thought as long as one applied his or herself, they’d be able to grasp the knowledge at hand and apply it when needed later on. “Our society worships talent, and many people assume that possessing superior intelligence or ability- along with confidence in that ability- is a recipe for success” (Dweck, 10-12).
Many readers will easily recognize the expression "Big Brother Is Watching You." It is a reference from Orwell 's novel 1984 in which the country of Oceania tries their best to destroy the past and remake the future. Oceania tries many things to keep their people quiet and repressed so they cannot question the government 's authority. One example of how the government represses their people can be explained by the slogan Ignorance is Strength. "Ignorance is Strength" has played a significant role is George Orwell 's 1984.
In the article, “Anti-Intellectualism and the “Dumbing Down” of America” Ray Williams discusses the increasing trend of anti-intellectualism in American culture. There is an anti-intellectualism that exists in American culture that is the result of the unpopularity of being smart in High School, the lack of the importance of teachers in the U.S. compared to Japan and the effect of reality TV and pop culture. Williams indicates that one of the reasons that anti-intellectualism exists is that education in the United States is not as strong as it once was. Williams says, “After leading the world for decades in 24-34 year olds with university degrees, the U.S. is now in 12th place. The World Economic Forum ranked the U.S. at 52nd among 139 nations
The Rhetorical Analysis of the “America Needs its Nerds” The mental capacity is treated as a disadvantage in the America, despite the fact it already helped the country many times. This long-term problem became the main topic of the Leonid Fridman’s essay “America Needs its Nerds”. The work first appeared on January 11, 1990 in the New York Times as a part of the series “Voices of the New Generation”. The author spoke about the negative attitude the American society has to smart people and demonstrates it with the usage of words like “nerd” or “geek”.
“Hidden Intellectualism,” by Gerald Graff starts off with an older argument between being book smart and street smart. Throughout the reading, Graff uses his own life experiences to critique the education system today. Points made focus on the idea of overlooking the intellectual potential of those who come across as being, “street smart”. Different authors cited in the reading to show how to accept another’s different intellectual. However, we realize that people who come across as being intellectual weren’t always labeled as that.
Public Education Crippling Children John Taylor Gatto was born December 15 1935 in Pittsburgh are in Pennsylvania. Gatto attended the university of Pittsburgh and Columbia. Gatto ran for the New York State Senate 29th district in 1985. Gatto had many jobs including working as a script writer in the film business, hot dog vendor, taxi driver, an ASCAP songwriter and much more. Most importantly John Taylor Gatto was a teacher for 29 years but was not just any regular teacher in New York.
